MOONSORROW — Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa (review)

MOONSORROW — Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa album cover Album · 2011 · Folk Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Phonebook Eater
7/10

"Varjoina" is an epic sounding album, a breath of fresh nordic air.

Moonsorrow is one of the most praised Folk Metal bands ever, along with bands such as Agalloch and Primordial. Their music has been pretty much the same throughout all these years they’ve been active, not even after their sixth album that came out now in 2011, the unpronounceable “Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa”, which in English means “as shadows we walk in the land of the dead”.

When we talk about Folk Metal, don’t think Agalloch’s acoustic interludes. This album barely has them; the folkish elements are the melodies-riffs, which are heavily influenced by Nordic and Celtic music. They are very few slow parts ( except for the epic “Huuto”), so it sounds like a true mix between Black Metal and Folk-traditional music. The Black elements are here as well; very rough production, at all times high pitched growls, and an original element that has accompanied many Moonsorrow albums; the add to the guitars of the keys, that always have a stringy sound, giving the music a new definition of epicness and a more thick sound.

The album is very solid and rigid in it’s structure: they are long, epic tracks constantly and rigorous alternated with one minute interludes, that really don’t have much to offer, being mostly just recordings of footsteps, a man talking, or general field recordings. So the long song are the real deal here. The opener “Tahdeton” is amazing, in its huge and archaic sound, that reminds a lot of the previous Moonsorrow work. Almost every moment here is sublime, even the Celtic influenced hook that dominates the second half of the song. “Muinaiset” is another great track, with again great arrangements on the keys, great folkish elements in the main riff, and a very consistent sound overall. “Huuto” is almost sixteen minutes long, and it’s probably the most experimental, ambitious and adventurous song off this album. The riffs are haunting like they’ve never been so far, and the mood is a lot more mystic.

A really good album that every Black-Folk metal fan should listen to, especially fans of this legendary band that will certainly go down in history as one of the best of this genre.
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